


Game Over

by authorwithoutaquill



Series: Timepetalsprompts drabbles [13]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Confessions, F/M, Happy Ending, New York City, Reunions, Team TARDIS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-14
Updated: 2016-03-14
Packaged: 2018-05-26 15:21:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6244996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/authorwithoutaquill/pseuds/authorwithoutaquill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He's silent and she can't bear it. It's time to speak the truth, but neither of them have the right words.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Game Over

**Author's Note:**

> Well, here it is, the final part of my drabble series Can't Do It. Thank you all for sticking around and going through this journey with me. The stories are as follows: Can't Do It, Frozen Heart, Roses and Snowdrops, Displaced, Empire State of Mind, Watch It Spaceman, Rose Tyler I Love You, Drink With Me and Game Over. I can't believe I'm saying goodbye to my favourite idiots, but I here it is. I hope you like the ending.

“Let’s play a game, Doctor.”

He looked up, a storm swirling in his eyes, ready to argue, ready to bolt and run, but Rose knew she couldn’t let him. Not this time. It was now or never. Game over. For better or worse, this needed to end.

Holding up her hand, she carried on, “A game where for once we tell each other the truth.”

When he looked down and retreated further into his leather jacket she felt tears burning her eyes, her throat suddenly too tight to breathe, and she sought his eyes with a desperation she never felt before.

He said let’s talk, sat down in the furthest corner of the pub and never said a word. After searching his face for minutes, Rose finally piped up, but her suggestion didn’t seem welcome.

Reaching out and catching the Doctor’s hand in hers, she swallowed hard.

“Doctor, I…” she let out a shaky laugh. “I really don’t know how to do this. I…”

But it was no use, the tears were threatening to overflow again and she felt conviction give way to sorrow. Gasping, she let go of his hand and turned away.

“Rose…”

“No! Just…” she huffed and turned back, anger shining through the tears. “Why did you leave me Doctor?”

He opened his mouth, then shut it again, trying to find the words, trying to make sure she understood, but they wouldn’t come. With a deep sigh, he buried his face in his hands.

“I know I hurt you, Doctor when I said…” Her voice gave out and she had to take a couple of deep breaths before she was able to continue. “When I said I don’t want to travel with you ever again. I know it hurt. And I’m sorry. I really am.”

When her voice cracked once again, the Doctor jumped up from his seat and pulled her to him, letting her hide her face in the crook of his neck, slowly rocking them back and forth, tears shining in his eyes too.

After her sobs quieted, he smoothed down her hair gently and took a deep breath.

“I love you, Rose.”

Her gasp and sudden movement away from him made the Doctor flinch and he was about to take the whole thing back when he recognized the expression in her eyes.

Hope.

It was hope.

He fidgeted a bit with the buttons on his jacket, finally settling for putting his hands in his pocket and looking intently at the floor.

“Doctor?” came Rose’s tentative voice.

“Rose… I…”

“I heard you the first time; I just want to make sure I didn’t misunderstand.”

With a heavy sigh, he sat down.

“I know I haven’t been fair to you by dropping you off, not by a long shot. But the truth is I was selfish. I was so very selfish from the beginning. You healed me, Rose.” Blue eyes met hers finally, love shining out like she’d never seen before, and she couldn’t help but smile and take a step towards him.

“You made me want to live again and I thought that wasn’t possible anymore. And how did I thank you for it?” his voice was bitter now and Rose stopped before reaching him.

“I took you on adventures that endangered your life and showed you things that gave you nightmares, that caused you suffering. When you said I should have helped I… You were right. I should have. Don’t think I don’t hate myself for leaving. But I hated myself even more for hurting you. That’s why I took you back. So I couldn’t hurt you again. Apparently it didn’t work so well.”

She took his right hand in her left and reached up with the other to put a finger on his lips, shushing him.

“You shouldn’t hate yourself, Doctor. I know why you couldn’t go back. I wanted to save them, I still do. And I was so very angry and sad and hurt. You were the only one there and I lashed out. I’m sorry. But you can’t take the responsibility every time I’m hurt. It’s not your fault.”

Sitting down, she didn’t let go of his hand as she leaned closer and whispered, “I love you too.”

She saw his eyes widen in disbelief and smiled before closing the distance between them, pressing her lips against his. The kiss was sweet and gentle, a brush of tongue against barely opened lips, a promise sealed that they wouldn’t be apart ever again.

Rose smiled again as they came apart and rested her forehead against the Doctor’s. His eyes fluttered open slowly, and something new was shining there, something that Rose had never seen before, not like this, not fully, not permanently. She gasped when she finally realized what it was.

Happiness.

A laugh bubbled out of her, joy overflowing in her heart. It was joined by the Doctor’s as he lifted her up and twirled her around.

“Finally. Me and the Captain here thought you’d never get to the kissing,” the red-haired woman walked over to them.

“Well, he’s a bit daft,” replied Rose with one of her tongue-touched grins.

“Oi!”  
“Well, Doctor, I have to agree with Rosie there,” chimed in Jack.

“And who you might be?”

“Captain Jack Harkness, at your service.” Jack bowed a little and both women grinned while the Doctor rolled his eyes.

“I guess he’s comin’?”

Rose’s grin widened and she nodded.

“Right, let’s be off then.”

He was already halfway out of the pub by the time Rose realized the red-head was offering her hand.

“I’m Donna Noble by the way. Since space dumbo forgot to introduce us…”

“Rose. Rose Tyler. And you’ve already met Jack.”

The former Time Agent was about to reply when they heard the Doctor’s voice from the entrance.

“Hurry up! It’s freezing out there. I mean… New York in January, honestly. You got yourself another pretty boy, Rose? Can’t go two centuries without you picking someone up!”

As the Doctor continued to grumble the three of them looked at each other with matching grins and ran after him.

Maybe shouting at him wasn’t such a bad idea after all. He did admit he loved her in the end. It just took a few different centuries, two or so continents and the Weeping Angels to finally get him to admit it.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, your kudos and comments give me life and inspire me to keep writing, and as such are much appreciated. If you enjoyed this series, please, please take a moment to share your thoughts.
> 
> Also, I started another drabble series, in case you'd like to read more. It is in a separate verse, so it has no relation to this story, but you're welcome to check it out. It starts with Silence and currently has three parts, but is rapidly expanding.


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